J Mascis Talks ‘Funky’ New Dinosaur Jr. Album, Vampires

To look at J Mascis is to see a teenaged rebel who hasn’t quite grown up. The dude still skateboards, despite sporting Gandalf-worthy locks, and his music with Dinosaur Jr. is still menacingly loud.

So to hear him talk about the new Dinosaur Jr. album is a wondrous thing, full of classic quotes. He told NME that I Bet On The Sky (out September 17) “funky for us, but not that funky.” While there might not be any Flea-style bass-slapping from Lou Barlow, Mascis did hip to the album’s mellower groove.

And then there’s the song “Watch The Corners.” Mascis claims it’s “written from the perspective of a vampire. It seems hip at the moment.” Zombies are possibly hipper, but we won’t quibble with the ax man when the phrase “I Bet On The Sky is a funky album about vampires” is reasonably accurate.